CH 115

<CHAPTER 115

“Whoa, do I look weird?”

“Yeah, you’re fine, you’re cool.”

Herwin’s face flushed at the word cool, but he quickly regained his composure and stiffened.

Today, when he heard that John was looking for him, he dressed up as soon as he finished his work and came to Agnes.

It must have been something big because he called for both her and Lucia at the same time.

He could think positively about the fact that he had saved John from the monster this morning, but he couldn’t help but think of how determined he had been.

He had a gut feeling that his fate would depend on his decision, and it made Lucia’s hand tremble as well.

Herwin squeezed her hand.

“Don’t worry, Lucia. Everything will be fine.”

Who was worrying about whom now? Lucia smiled at his concern for her, even though she knew he was rigid as a rock.

It calmed her nerves and allowed her to hold her head high.

“Yeah, it’s going to be okay.”

They looked at each other and then approached the door that was firmly closed in front of them. Herwin took a deep breath and knocked.

It chimed.

“Come in.”

He opened the door and entered the office, where John was already seated. He was already seated in the office, and his presence made Herwin even more nervous.

Herwin tightened his grip on Lucia’s hand, trying to hide his trembling.

“Sit here.”

John gestured to the couch. They did as he said in silence.

Only the ticking of the second hand could be heard in the heavy silence. John didn’t speak for a while.

How long had it been like that? Finally, he broke the silence.

“Herwin.”

“Yes, yes!”

So nervous was Herwin that he didn’t realize John had called him by name.

“What do you think of Lucia?”

“Lucia means more to me than anything else. I can’t imagine not having her by my side.”

He wasn’t making it up, he meant it, and both Lucia and John felt it.

“So if something were to happen to her in the future, would you do whatever it takes to save her?”

“Of course, I will save her. Even if it means losing my own life, I will save Lucia’s.”

The resolve in his voice reminded John of their conversation this morning.

Closing his eyes for a moment, he looked at Lucia this time.

“Lucia.”

“Yes, Father.”

“In the future, when you think of what happened, you may hate Herwin. Should you still marry him?”

“It’s not that I haven’t thought about it, ……I’ve actually been so caught up in the past that I couldn’t accept him.”

Having chosen her words, Lucia looked at Herwin. Looking into his hard red eyes, she smiled.

“But that’s okay because that’s the future I’ve always wanted for us, to love and care for each other, rather than to be estranged from each other forever and just be friends.”

“Are you ……happy?”

“Yes, I couldn’t be happier.”

At Lucia’s answer, Herwin smiled softly and tightened his grip on her hand.

As they looked at each other and smiled happily, John now had to admit.

“……Yes, do as you please.”

“……!”

Lucia and Herwin whipped their heads around to look at John, and the sight of their trembling eyes made him smile.

“If can’t live without like that, I’m not going to stand in your way.”

“……father.”

“Count, that means…….”

“When do you think the wedding should take place?”

The words were a confirmation. John finally recognized Herwin and permitted him to marry. 

Herwin and Lucia were so overwhelmed that they could barely speak, their lips twitching.

But for a moment, they held each other tightly, basking in the joy of the moment. 

Lucia, clinging to Herwin’s neck, ran to John.

For a moment, John was taken aback by his daughter’s sudden embrace, but then a smile formed on his face.

“Thank you so much, Father, thank you so much……!”

“Thank you, Count, and I will make Lucia the happiest person in the world!”

“Don’t call me Count, call me Father from now on.”

“Yes, ……, Father!”

As John watched the two stomp their feet and rejoice like children, he could see the faces of five-year-olds who were just being silly.

He wondered when they would grow up and get married.

Time passed so quickly.

“Father, can we tell the others about this?”

John nodded as Lucia paced the room and spoke urgently. 

Once inside the circle, Lucia rushed out, eager to share the good news with the others. 

When Herwin tried to follow her, saying she would get hurt, John called him.

“Herwin.”

Herwin turned around and John smiled warmly at him.

“Thank you for saving me and my daughter today and last time. And take care of Lucia in the future.”

Herwin stiffened his posture, his face was serious.

“I thank you for your permission, Father.”

Herwin waved goodbye and headed out the door. Soon he could hear Lucas and Julian’s cheerful voices in the distance.

John leaned back against the back of the couch and closed his eyes.

“So, I guess this is it.”

Suddenly, he felt a great deal of relief. He had a feeling that it was only going to get better from here.

John looked out the window into the beautiful summer breeze. The sky was cloudless and clear.

* * *

Summer came to an end, and after a month of debate, John finally agreed to Herwin and Lucia’s marriage.

Herwin and Lucia hastened to inform both families of the news. Everyone was overjoyed that the marriage, which had been so close to collapse, had been granted.

Especially Phoenaeus, who was overjoyed and couldn’t wait to share the news of their marriage with his social circle.

The scandal of Bern and Celine’s marriage was slowly dying down.

By this time, the public had learned that Bern and Lucia had consensually separated and found love elsewhere, but the news of Lucia and Herwin’s marriage turned the social scene upside down once again.

Many of the young ladies were moved to tears by the announcement that Herwin, who had been considered particularly impregnable, was marrying Lucia, and rumors of Lucia’s fondness for Herwin were revived.

Lucia received the occasional threatening letter urging her to break up with Herwin, but once Herwin realized what was going on, he took action.

Slowly, Lucia traveled back and forth between the two families, preparing for the marriage.

Hail came down to the capital briefly, but as soon as the marriage was finalized, he went back up north. 

His month-long stay in the capital was a long one.

Before he left for the north, he said to Lucia,

‘My dear, you may do as you please with the wedding. Don’t look around, and if you want something, just tell me, and I’ll listen. Do you understand?’

Scarlett was fond of Lucia, too, but Hail favored her more than she’d realized.

Especially concerned about the rumors, he offered to give her the most lavish wedding in the empire.

Lucia, the bride, was both delighted and overwhelmed by the love of the Phoenaeus family.

As she busied herself with the wedding preparations, the day arrived.

Lucia put on the pink dress and shawl that Herwin had given her, and the aquamarine earrings that had become treasure number one. She walked down the aisle, holding the hand of the well-dressed Herwin.

It was a wedding chapel in the capital’s temple, where most nobles were married.

It was here, today, that Bern and Celine were to be married.

Just as they said they would sooner or later, three months after they had accepted each other’s hearts, they were tying the knot.

In the distance, they could see Bern greeting the guests. Lucia and Herwin walked up to him.

“Congratulations, Bern.”

Bern smiled broadly at the familiar voice and greeted Lucia, then chuckled at the sight of a slightly fatter-looking Herwin beside him.

“Thank you, my dear. I didn’t expect you to come.”

“Of course I did, I promised to come.”

“Haha, that’s right. Oh, I heard about that, too. I thought you two were getting married within the year?”

“Yes, that’s right. We’re getting married in early winter.”

“Well, congratulations, I’ll be sure to come and see you later if you invite me.”

“I’ll have to think about whether to invite you or not.”

“Herwin.”

Herwin said bluntly, and Lucia poked him in the side, causing him to shut up. 

Seeing him still wary of him made it clear how much he liked her.

Thinking this was a good time, Bern patted Herwin on the arm. 

“I know you like Lucia, but it’s not good to be jealous.”

Both Lucia and Bern burst out laughing as Herwin’s face crumpled. Realizing that they were making fun of him, Herwin gave Lucia a grumpy look and pulled her to her feet.

“Let’s go. What a bunch of weirdos.”

“You, too… Bern, I’ll see you later.”

Bern waved with a smile. Lucia glanced at Bern, then straight ahead, then at Herwin.

His brow was still furrowed, as if Bern’s teasing had offended him.

Lucia reached out a finger and rubbed his brow.

“Wrinkle your fine forehead. Bern was just messing with you because he knows you don’t like him.”

“Hmph, what’s a prank when you don’t have much to do with me anyway.”

“Well, it can’t hurt to get acquainted while we’re at it.”

“Lucia, I haven’t forgotten.”

“What? Like what?”

“That he stole your first kiss.”

Lucia immediately clamped her mouth shut. Herwin gave her a pointed look, and after a moment’s hesitation, she clung to his arm.

“But now I’m marrying you, and Bern is marrying Lady Jayson, so what’s the use of dwelling on the past?”

“Even if it’s in the past, I’ve been robbed of the most important thing of all. I’ve spent half my life with you and watched your first moments, and if nothing else, your first kiss……!”

“Ouch! There’s Christine! Let’s go over there!”

Just as Herwin was about to move beyond annoyance to anger, Lucia changed the subject. It was just a diversion, but there she was, in the distance.

Seeing the familiar back of her ash-colored hair, Lucia hurried over to her, dragging Herwin with her.

“Christine!”

Christine’s head shook… She looked around and spotted Lucia and Herwin.

“Hi, it’s been a while.”

As Lucia greeted her friend, whom she hadn’t seen recently due to wedding preparations, she noticed something strange.

Christine was fidgeting like a puppy who had done something wrong.

“What’s wrong with you?”

A cold sweat broke out on Christine’s face as she was asked in a questioning tone, wondering if Herwin had noticed it too.

“Oh, it’s been a long time, how have you been?”

Her tone was unnatural to anyone who heard it. Lucia and Herwin both gave her strange looks, and Christine rolled her eyes even more. 

“Christine, I just wanted to talk to someone I know for a minute….…”

A familiar voice called out to her. She didn’t need to see the face to know who it was.

Lucia’s jaw dropped, and Herwin gave her a goofy grin.

“So here we are.”

“……Brian.”

Brian. He had his hand on Christine’s shoulder, so casually, as if he were her lover.

He looked at Lucia and Herwin, momentarily flustered, then grinned.

“Oh, it’s good to see you all. Busy with wedding preparations these days, aren’t you?”

The way he said it, with a smirk on his face, was somehow quite condescending.